Career
He was a former professor of Hydraulic engineering and former Head of the Civil Engineering Department at the Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University) Varanasi. He was also the Mahant (High Priest) of the Sankat Mochan Hanuman temple, Varanasi at Varanasi founded by poet-saint Goswami Tulsidas. Mishra was recognized on the United Nations Environment Programme"s (United Nations Environment Programme) "Global 500 Roll of Honour" in 1992, and was a TIME Magazines "Hero of the Planet" recipient in 1999 for his work related to cleaning of the Ganges through the Sankat Mochan Foundation. of India, which was set up in 2009, by the Government of India as an empowered planning, financing, monitoring and coordinating authority for the Ganges, in exercise of the powers conferred under the Environment (Protection) Acting,1986.
On the occasion he was also decorated with a coronet of golden lotus, as per the Sangam Tamil tradition.